Mooring line



' May 12, 1936.

E. J. FITZGIBBON 2,040769 MooRING LINE Filed Oct. 14, 1955 lweflo; [an/,QED J. HTZ5/550/v Patented May l2, 1936 umrao STATI-:s

PATENT i OFFICE MOORING LINE Edward J. Fitzgibbon, Worcester, Mass., assignor toThe American Steel and Wire Company of New Jersey, a corporation of New Jersey Application October 14, 1935, Serial No. 44959 1 Claim. (Cl. 114-230) ample of a mooring line embodying the principles 10 of the present invention.

This mooring line is characterized by having a closed loop I formed in one of its ends. This loop is Vadapted to be manually placed over a mooring post or the like during ship mooring operations,

15 and is provided with two becket loops 2 that are equally spaced to either side of the part of the loop l that is diametrically opposite the part of the line, marked 3 in the drawing, that extends away from the loop.

26 In operation, a dock hand may grasp the two becket loops 2 with both of his hands and exert a pull on the mooring line so as to apply at least some tension to the same. Due to the spread of the dock hand's shoulders this procedure natu- 25 rally causes the loop I to spread so that it may be placed over a. mooring post or the like.

So far as is known, mooring lines have always been provided with but a single becket loop which is placed at a part of the loop of a mooring line 30 that is diametrically opposite that part of the line that extends away from this loop.

There'- fore, when a. deck hand attempts to use such a mooring line he iinds that the loop collapses' when he applies the necessary pull on the becket loop, whereby it is necessary for him, or another worker, to grasp the loop so as to spread it. This 5 l procedure is very dangerous in that it is quite easy for the dock hands to get their fingers caught between the inside ol the mooring line loop and a 'mooring post, this generally causing the complete loss of their fingers. 10

The above described dangerous type of mooring line is of great antiquity and has never been improved upon by `those skilled in vthe art in spite of the frequent occurrence of serious accidents directly traceable to its use. The\present invention is believed to be the rst improvement made in mooring lines that is devoted primarily to the safety of those who are engaged in what is essentially a dangerous occupation.

I claim: 20

A mooring line having a closed loop formed in one of its ends, said loop being adapted to be manually placed over a mooring post or the like during ship mooring operations and being provided with at least two becket loops that are 2. equally spaced to either side of the -part of said loop that is diametrically opposite the part of said line that extends away therefrom, whereby use of said becket loops when said line is under at least some tension causes said loop to spread. 30

EDWARD J. FITZGIBBON. 

